Senator Jeff Flake (R-Ariz) and Congressman John Duncan (R-Tenn.) introduced legislation in their respective chambers on Tuesday that would cut $40 billion in federal crop insurance subsidies over the next 10 years.

The introduction of this legislation was timely due to the fact that yesterday Environmental Working Group (EWG) and Bruce Babcock held a forum for hill staffers to share their views on crop insurance.

The National Crop Insurance Services (NCIS) responded to claims from the EWG that farmers "pray for disaster" in hopes to collect a crop insurance check.

In a press release from NCIS Marvin Andris, a farmer from Milford, Illinois made the comment that the EWG members "obviously haven't brushed shoulders with any farmer," and that farmers are "into this because we want to raise crops, and the more bountiful, the more excited we become."

To read the full NCIS press release and view their video response you can visit their website at http://www.ag-risk.org/